A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of devices that aid in stopping a vehicle, more specifically, a device that forms an additional wiring circuit with a fuel pump.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As a preliminary note, it should be stated that there is an ample amount of prior art that deals with emergency stop systems for a vehicle. As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a knife switch that is mounted to a parking brake and of which forms an electrical circuit to a fuel pump of a vehicle and upon which can disrupt electrical current flowing to the fuel pump and of which will cause the engine of the vehicle to stall.
The Hildebrecht Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,540) discloses a vehicle brake and engine interlock system, wherein when the parking brake is activated, the system overrides the operator's control to limit fuel intput to the engine. However, the system does not simply open a circuit that shuts off electrical current to the fuel pump of a vehicle, which ultimately stalls the engine.
The Talkes Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 1,854,868) discloses a device for automatically stopping the motor of an automobile. However, the device works with the ignition switch to turn on/off the engine as opposed to turning on/off the fuel pump, which essentially starves the engine of fuel.
The Lineberger Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,413) discloses an engine idle shit-down controller for a vehicle that includes a parking brake activated switch. However, the switch does not open a circuit that stops electrical current from entering the fuel pump of an engine, and ultimately stalling the engine.
The Mann et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,801) discloses an anti-theft system for vehicles that interrupt the fuel supply when activating the vehicle's parking brake system. Again, the system is not designed to simply open or close a circuit that supplies electricity to the fuel pump for use in ceasing fuel supply to the engine and thereby stalling the engine in due course, and for use during operation of the vehicle and not as anti-theft system.
The Ueda et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,937) discloses an automatic engine stop and start apparatus. However, the apparatus requires a plurality of inputs to appear before issuing an alarm, and does not simply stop the electrical current to a fuel pump.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a knife switch that is mounted to a parking brake and of which forms an electrical circuit to a fuel pump of a vehicle and upon which can disrupt electrical current flowing to the fuel pump and of which will cause the engine of the vehicle to stall. In this regard, the automobile emergency stop system departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.